Get to know the neighborhood with 101 facts about Capitol Hill’s colorful backstory. This blog will be updated with posts about widely recognized and little-known neighborhood trivia over time; follow @101bwy on Instagram to see more facts as they are added here.
Designed by Isamu Noguchi in 1969, the Black Sun sculpture in Capitol Hill’s Volunteer Park is an attraction like no other. Looking through the center of the sculpture, you can see the Space Needle perfectly framed within the hole and looking west at the black circle you can see the Olympic Mountains. The view from this location also includes Elliot Bay, the Asian Art Museum, and Volunteer Park Conservatory.
The Starbucks Reserve Roastery and Tasting Room in Seattle’s Capitol Hill is the first-ever Starbucks Reserve and lets visitors experience and taste some of the world’s rarest coffees. Visitors get to watch freshly-roasted coffee, converse with the specialists, and enjoy the beverage and food menu. The coffee is also brewed multiple ways for the optimal experience, such as pour-over, chemex, coffee press, siphon, espresso, and Clover Brewed.
12th Avenue Arts is an arts hub for Capitol Hill, featuring two theaters managed by Black Box Operations and restaurants including Rachel’s Ginger Beer and U:Don. The building is easily recognized by the orange monument sign on the façade. See what’s coming to the stages of 12th Avenue Arts by visiting blackboxoperations.org.
Coastal Kitchen opened in 1993 on Capitol Hill and is a popular brunch spot. It is a well-known fish house and oyster bar in the neighborhood, known for seasonal worldly menus that include sustainably raised and wild-caught fish. Coastal Kitchen features three happy hours throughout the day from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m.
The Volunteer Park water tower was built in 1906 and stands more than 75-feet tall with 180 steps to the top. It is located in the southeast corner of the park and has an overall elevation of 520 feet, which provides a unique 360° view of Seattle. Volunteer park is open daily from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m.
Julia’s on Broadway is a popular drag brunch spot right in the midst of bustling Capitol Hill. The venue has been open 15 years and recently expanded the theater for Le Faux, the signature drag show that features celebrity illusion, dancers and music. Weekend shows often sell out and are popular for bachelorette parties and birthday celebrations.
Neumos is a well-known Seattle music venue and is a hub of the neighborhood. It was originally opened in 1994 as a café but re-launched as Neumos in 2003. Recently, the venue has had a few upgrades to include a new mezzanine layout, with updated stage, lighting and sound. Check out neumos.com to see the list of local and national acts coming up.
Lost Lake Café is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at 1505 10th Ave. The café is known for traditional diner fare and boasts the “stiffest drinks on the Hill.” The diner is decked out with mid-century modern décor at the site that also features a new patio dining section.
Ferrari of Seattle is the last standing of what used to be an auto row of dealerships along the Pike/Pine streets in Capitol Hill. The land that is home to the Ferrari dealership is owned by the Perrina family and was acquired for $3.5 million in 1999. Ferrari of Seattle showcases high-performance racing machines, which you can get a glimpse of in their showroom or on the streets around Capitol Hill.
The Northwest Film Forum is an 8,000-square-foot space, founded in 1995 by Jamie Hook and Deborah Girdwood. The theater is located on 12th Avenue and Pike Street and screens films regularly, while also serving as a venue for several film festivals each year.
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